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Be prepared for wildfire season in Travis County
Travis County fire officials want you to be ready for wildfire season. They shared how homebuilders and property owners can protect buildings from fire danger
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Wildfire activity is expected to increase across Texas for the remainder of winter and into spring as drought spreads.
The Texas A&M Forest Service issued a warning Friday, noting that above-normal vegetation will become highly flammable as dry cold fronts pass through the state.
More than 60% of Texas is experiencing some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor that was updated Thursday. That is up 10% from two weeks ago.
About 14% of the state is experiencing either extreme or exceptional drought – the two highest levels on the monitor’s scale.
"Wildfire activity has increased across the state, driven by underlying drought conditions and above normal grass production from last year’s growing season," said Jared Karns, Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief. "With a La Niña climate pattern forecasted, Texas is expected to experience more conditions that favor wildfire activity more often."
High winds also driving wildfire concerns
High winds accompanying cold fronts passing through Texas this weekend have prompted the National Weather Service to issue Fire Weather Warnings in parts of the Panhandle and across a large swath of South and Central Texas. Cities in the warnings include Del Rio, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Victoria and College Station.
While some showers or flurries are possible with the fronts, the precipitation won’t come close to stopping any fires that may start.
Fire debris and ashes remain next to a home in the aftermath of the Smokehouse Creek fire on March 03, 2024, near Stinnett, Texas. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"We are closely monitoring the increased likelihood of wildfire effective weather in Texas, including conditions associated with Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreaks," said Luke Kanclerz, Texas A&M Forest Service Predictive Services Department Head. "These outbreak events have historically resulted in multiple large, high impact wildfires that can be difficult to contain and are an immediate threat to public and firefighter safety."
According to the Forest Service, nine out of 10 wildfires in Texas are caused by humans. They encourage everyone to avoid outdoor activities that could spark a wildfire and to contact local authorities immediately if a wildfire is spotted.